Boss retracts PTO approval last minute, one day before event as retaliation for employee reporting misconduct: ‘I wake up and see my previously approved PTO was denied’

Author image for Etai Eshet
Etai Eshet • Editor
Feb 7, 2025 8:00 PM EST

The relationship between bosses and employees often resembles a one-way street where traffic only flows toward more work, more sacrifice, and less appreciation. Managers excel at preaching values like work-life balance while treating personal time as an inconvenient obstacle to productivity. They write elaborate policies about proper procedures, yet conveniently forget these same rules when it suits their needs. The most reliable employees often suffer the most - their competence becomes a curse, making them the go-to people for every crisis and coverage need.

Nothing shows this ridiculous dynamic better than the endless drama around PTO requests. Bosses want weeks of notice, detailed explanations, and probably a notarized letter from your grandmother before approving a day off. Yet they'll happily pull that approval faster than free pizza disappears from the break room. They demand gymnast-level flexibility from their staff while being about as flexible as a brick themselves.

Add as a preferred
source on Google
Advertisement

  • 'Boss approved my PTO and then retracted it the day before I was supposed to take it.'

    15 "He told me not to worry about it they'd find someone to cover for me"
    via AndreyPopov

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Boss approved my PTO and then retracted it the day before I was supposed to take it.
    via ThrowRA88798
  • As the title says. My boss wants a weeks notice if we're planning to use PTO. As soon as I found out my friends boyfriend was planning to propose and have an engagement party, I requested
    via ThrowRA88798
  • the Thursday of 2-6-2025 off. I did this a little over a week in advance. We are short staffed, yes, because someone got fired. However I did have a coworker working with me.
    via ThrowRA88798
  • Well, we butted heads last week, he broke a company policy and I made my boss aware of it privately before the end of shift about 5 am (he as supposed to be asleep). During pass down he
    via ThrowRA88798
  • Cheezburger Image 10464780288
    via Rido

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Just look at what happened to one particularly unlucky soul who dared to request time off for a friend's engagement party. They followed every rule, and got their approved leave yanked away right before the event. Why? Oh, just some workplace drama and a boss with the emotional intelligence of a stapler. When reminded about prior commitments, the boss responded with all the empathy of a vending machine eating your last dollar.

  • sent the image to my coworker as we did pass down, which made my coworker mad at me and walk out. I asked my boss why he'd do that and he said it's because the issue needed to be addressed asap.
    via ThrowRA88798
  • Well he moved my coworker to weekends permanently so I'm by myself till they hire someone new. I asked how this would affect my PTO for next week and he told me not to worry about it they'd find someone to cover for me when him and I were doing a verbal passdown.
    via ThrowRA88798
  • Well, I wake up yesterday and see my previously approved PTO was denied. He emailed me saying nobody wanted to cover for me so I was expected to come in. I
    via ThrowRA88798
  • Cheezburger Image 10464780544
    via Peopleimages

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • told him I already had made arrangements to assist with this secret engagement party and would be planning to be out of town. He said to bad basically.
    via ThrowRA88798
  • I told him such short notice was extremely unprofessional on his end especially when he said I'd be covered. He then responded that the decision was final and I will be expected to be at work
    via ThrowRA88798
  • today. I have done everything he has ever asked, covered for people, stayed over, gotten all my work completed when others hadn't, etc. Someone suggested I
    via ThrowRA88798
  • take this situation to HR, but idk what to do. I'm exhausted and already looking at other jobs. I'm tired of being treated like this.
    via ThrowRA88798
  • Liselyn HI no. His inability to handle situations appropriately and find coverage is absolutely not your problem. The ship has sailed, either he covers you or you resign. Either way, go and enjoy the heck out of the engagement!
    via Liselyn
  • DutchcourageNL Send HR an email with a copy of the approved PTO request informing the of this situation and that you will not be in. Also, send it BCC to your private email!
    via DutchcourageNL
  • Neat-Ostrich7135 We have no one else, it's essential you come in on day x. I can't If you don't we'll fire you
    via DutchcourageNL
  • You have someone else for days abcdefghijk etc then? tumbleweeds Seems like they will be closed on your pto day then.
    via DutchcourageNL
  • ooGeorgesOo You are an adult and a citizen. You don t ask permission to be absent. You merely inform the work organiser/planner you won t be there.
    via ooGeorgesOo
  • Pottski PTO is a heads up. Unless it is wildly unreasonable any company should honour it. Power games by petty men just doesn't make sense.
    via Pottski
  • Pale_Conclusion_8862 Tell your ex boss that that's not going to work. Fair well on all future endeavors. Enjoy your life. Sick of these so-called bosses think people are robots. You put your pants leg on one at a time, you blod same color. I will be treated with respectful. Cause truthfully they don't care about you, and I could careless about them or their business.
    via Pale_Conclusion_8862
  • 2NDPLACEWIN lol,...no
    via 2NDPLACEWIN
  • daheff_irl nope. PTO approved already. if he doesnt like it tough.
    via daheff_irl
  • rdking647 your not asking, your informing.
    via rdking647
  • Peachy Keen31 Call out. This isn't your problem. It's his.
    via Peachy_Keen31
  • Kanguin Just take your pto and tell him no it's too bad for you.
    via Kanguin

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

management boss workplace-stories hr toxic-workplace manager bosses work PTO managers supervisor workplace Horrible Bosses work-life balance
Scroll Down For The Next Article